Press Releases
Working-Level Online Meeting of the Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (CEAPAD) (Outcome: the 5th Ministerial Meeting set to be held)
On June 10, Japan co-hosted with Palestine and the Philippines a Working-level Online Meeting of the Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (CEAPAD).
- The meeting was co-chaired by Mr. IWAMOTO Keiichi, Director-General of the Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Mr. Mahmoud Ataya, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Finance and Planning, and Mr. Renato N. Dueñas, Jr, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Office of Middle East and African Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines. This round of meeting was held with participation of Japan, Palestine, the Philippines, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Viet Nam, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).
- Through this meeting, participants shared the understanding that the 5th Ministerial Meeting would be held in Manila, the Philippines, on July 22 this year, in order to maintain the momentum of CEAPAD's revitalization and to follow up on the Kuala Lumpur Action Plan adopted at the 4th Ministerial Meeting last year, and agreed to cooperate in preparing for its success.
- At this meeting, the Palestinian side expressed its expectations for the 5th Ministerial Meeting, taking into account the current situation and assistance needs in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, followed by explanations from the Japanese and Philippine sides regarding the purpose, outline, preparation status, and future schedule of the preparation for the meeting.
(Reference1) The Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (CEAPAD)
CEAPAD is a regional conference framework initiated by Japan in 2013 to support the Palestinian state-building efforts by drawing on resources, knowledge, and experiences of economic development of the East Asian countries.
Previous Ministerial Meetings:
- February 2013: 1st Ministerial Meeting (Tokyo)
- March 2014: 2nd Ministerial Meeting (Jakarta)
- June 2018: 3rd Ministerial Meeting (Bangkok)
- July 2025: 4th Ministerial Meeting (Kuala Lumpur)
(Reference2) CEAPADIV Kuala Lumpur Action Plan 2025
Adopted at the 4th Ministerial Meeting held in July 2025, this plan serves as a guideline for future cooperation between East Asian countries and Palestine, supporting the Palestinian people's state-building efforts. It outlined a guideline for countries to leverage their respective strengths to provide support, focusing on human resource development and capacity building through technical cooperation, in response to Palestine's needs for Humanitarian Response in Gaza, Early Recovery and Reconstruction in Gaza, Economic Development and State-Building, and Reforms. It identified areas where CEAPAD members can draw on their own resources, knowledge, and expertise of socio-economic development.